Quaking Aspen

Scientific name: Populus tremuloids

Leaf Structure: The leaves are heart shaped with rounded teeth on the margins. During the summer the leaves are naturally green but during the Fall the leaves turn bright yellow, yellow-orange, gold, and red when the first frost comes. Quaking_Aspen.jpgQuaking_Aspen_2.jpgThe stems are as long as the leaves themselves














Growth Characteristics:Quaking Aspen trees may grow up to 40 ft. high and get to about 3 ft. in diameter. It flowers from April to June and doesn't usually produce by seeds because it forms by basal sprouts and root sprouts.

http://extension.usu.edu/range/woody/quakingaspen.htm

Bark: Usually smooth abrk and color ranges from yellow-white to very light green. Bark is 1-2 inches thick on older trees and furrows with age.

Roots: Lateral roots may extend more than 100 ft in open areas and appear in the top 2-3 ft. of soil. inker roots may go down up to 5 ft.

Fruit: two-valved, light green to brown capsuls.

Red Bud

red_bud_1.jpg

Scientific name: Cercis canadensis

Leaf Structure: The leaves are alternate, simple, heart shaped with a solid margin and grow 3-5 inches long and wide that are thin and papery.

Growth Characteristics: Can grow up to 20-30 ft. tall and 25-35 ft. wide.

Bark: Dark redish brown with deep fissures and scaly surface and becomes darker with age.

Flowers: They from in April and May. Red bud flower have a pea-blossom construction, the central petal is flanked by two more petals known as wings. Below the wings are two other petals known as keels, the keel encloses 10 stamens and the pistil. Red bud flowers are edible and have a bit of a nutty flavor.

Thornless Honeylocust

Scientific name: Gleditsia tricanthos var. inermis meaning "unarmed"

Leaf Structure: Has a deciduous broad leaf, leaflets are arranged in two rows along an axis. Leaves are paired and stalkless with fine waxy edges and are dark green on top. In Autumn the leaves turn yellow.

Growth Characteristics: Grows up to 78 ft. and the base of the tree can get up to 2.5 ft wide and is a fast growing tree.

Bark: The color is grey-brown or black, has long narrow fissures and scaly ridges.

Flowers: The flowere are bell shaped with five petals on them. Normally greenish-yellow, 10 millimeters wide and are placed in short narrow clusters at the leaf bases late into spring.